Sonic Boom, Episode 1.33: Eggman the Auteur

Sonic Boom, Episode 1.33: Eggman the Auteur

Original Air Date: July 21st, 2015

Ah, the cinema. I don't know if there's a finer form of artistic expression than the moving picture. I've been obsessed with movies my entire life and I'm far from the only one who feels that way. Movies hold a special grip on the human imagination. They are like dreams, captured on film and projected onto an enormous screen where all the thoughts, feelings, and longing of human experience can be bigger than life. The combination of moving images, sound, music, lighting, and experts perfecting their crafts captures the past, predicts the future, and compels the heart. Movies are empathy generating machines and, when executed with utmost skill, can touch the soul.

But I'm not here to pretentiously rhapsodize about the power of cinema. I'm here to review an episode of "Sonic Boom," a silly cartoon show produced for the lesser medium of television. The blue hedgehog's relationship with film is mostly a very recent one, the multi-media franchise not making the leap to movie screens until just a few years ago. Yet there's always been something very cinematic about the "Sonic" games, comics, and cartoons. The emphasis on color and motion, music and attitude, always cried out for the movie treatment. Filmmakers have inspired "Sonic" and "Sonic" has inspired filmmakers. This makes it unsurprising that the series has, from time to time, referenced or poked fun at the movie making process. "Sonic Boom" would do this in a more direct way than most with its 33rd episode, "Eggman the Auteur." 

As the title suggests, the episode deals with Eggman deciding to become a movie director. He's making a movie inspired by his own life and wants Sonic to play himself, the buffoonish adversary to the fictionalized Eggman's brilliance. Egos soon clash on the film set though, as Sonic and his friends are none-too-impressed with the doctor's solipsistic approach to storytelling. After Sonic quits the shoot, Cubot and Orbot appear to tell the hedgehog that the entire movie idea is a cover for Eggman's latest diabolical scheme, forcing the true blue hero to race into action again. 

Auteur theory first emerged in French film criticism in the 1940s and was further crystallized by director François Truffaut, mostly when discussing the films of Alfred Hitchcock. Auteur theory is the idea that, though filmmaking is a collaborative process, the director is the primary "author" of the film. That a director expresses personal themes and ideas persistently across his career. The theory is essentially the foundation of modern film criticism and has been challenged, supported, and endlessly dissected over the last sixty years. 

So, when "Sonic Boom" says Eggman is being an auteur here, it's not just a pithy title. This episode is most fun for the way it reflects on Eggman's personality, how he sees himself and the people around him. Of course, the doctor sees himself as both a persecuted underdog and an all-powerful genius, who is always building towards his lifelong dream of creating his own theme park. Sonic, of course, is depicted as an idiot and a goofball who is repeatedly crushed and destroyed. (When he's not destroying Eggman's dreams, of course.) "Eggman the Auteur" continues to develop the show's idea of its central antagonist, as someone who is totally egotistical but also extremely fragile. His movie is rift with the idea that Eggman is brilliant and perfect, that the rest of the world is stupid and weak, which seems like a defense mechanism to someone who is insecure and afraid. 

You see this the most in the episode's final scene. Cubot and Orbot telling Sonic that the whole moviemaking scheme is a ploy turns out to be a ploy itself, for Eggman to get the perfect final shot of his movie. Soon, the completed film is screening and everyone is invited... And they all proceed to laugh at Eggman's vision. "Boom" could have done a riff on the Tommy Wiseau technique, where an incompetent director's highly personal film is laughed at by the world, causing the filmmaker to lean into the idea that it was all intentional. That this expression of the torment in his soul, that he went about creating despite lacking the skills and resources necessary to do it justice, was always supposed to be funny. 

Instead, Eggman dismisses everyone from the theater and watches his movie by himself. (Well, and Cubot and Orbot.) He even cries a single tear. It's a weirdly poignant moment. It means a lot to him to see his story, told his way, on a massive screen. Creative minds are always advised to create their stories with an audience in mind. But let's face it: The most important audience is ourselves. Eggman's movie may suck from all barometers of objective quality. Yet it expressed something very close to his heart, an idea inside him that he desperately needed to get out. This is why movies like "The Room" or "Glen Or Glenda?" compel people so much and have won audiences all over the world, despite lacking the traditional professionalism we expect from mainstream films. Auteur theory is the theory that all movies are most about the filmmaker themselves. This is especially true of cinematic stories made by someone with more of a dream and vision than talent or money. 

I kind of doubt writer Sam Freiberger and the rest of the "Sonic Boom" set out to make an exploration of Eggman's psyche and the personal power of cinema. Instead, "Eggman the Auteur" is mostly about having fun goofing on your standard movie set dilemmas. The ever flexible "Sonic Boom" cast – except Sticks, who is totally absent from this episode – easily slot into Hollywood stereotypes. Eggman is the egotistic director, convinced of his own genius, who surrounds himself with simpering yes men. (In the form of robots programmed to agree with him.) Sonic is the temperamental star, who wants to take over the movie and is constantly feuding with the director. Micromanaging Amy fits the role of Sonic's agent, always making outrageous demands on behalf of her client. Doofusy, impervious Knuckles becomes the much abused stuntman. Probably the funniest of these ideas is Tails taking on the role of story editor. He analytically goes through Eggman's script and picks it apart, rearranging and rewriting it on the spot. Maybe I just think that's amusing because, as a writer myself, I relate to that. 

All of these contrasts are funny because they perfectly match the character's established personalities while also commenting on behind-the-scenes drama. In fact, the whole episode is pretty funny. The dialogue all throughout is pretty sharp. A well-timed rumbling matches Sonic's opening speech about Meh Burger. Tails' enthusiastic response to Sonic asking if he wants to throw also made me smile. So did Eggman comparing his cinéma vérité style to brunch or his use of the made-up term quadrilogy. There's some decent physical comedy, in the increasingly absurd ways Knuckles is abused and Dave the Intern's failed attempt at catering. Also, Eggman says "I hate that hedgehog," a throwback I'm surprised this show didn't make sooner.

It's possible that me being a fucking nerd about movies caused me to get a whole lot more out of this episode than your average viewer. I do think Freiberger and the rest do touch on some interesting themes here while expanding on Eggman's character, even if most of this review has been me talking out my ass and reading too much into things, like always. And even if you aren't a cinephile like me and have some personal insight into this episode, it's still got plenty of solid gags and good natured chuckles up its sleeve. This one gets a thumbs up from me. [7/10]